Folding stool



J. LANG FOLDING STOOL July 4, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 27, 1948 Jo hn Lab 9 I NI EN'I'OR. aax fin.

J, LANG FOLDING STOOL July 2 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Ju y 1948 John La g IN VENTOR.

9 M md Patented July 4, 1 950 UNITED STATES PATENT oFFicE FOLDING STOOL John on Detroit, Mich.

Application July 27, 1948, Serial No. 40,810

' 4 Claims. (c1.155 149) My invention relates to improvements in'fold ing stools for camping, and like purposes.

The primary object of theinvention is to provide a light weight,jstrong, folding stool of flat stock such as fiberboard, wall board, or sheet plastic, and whereby the stool may be'manufactured for sale at a very low cost.

Another object is to provide a stool constructed principally of such stock and which is foldable easily and quickly into a flat compact condition.

Other and subordinate objects, together with the precise nature of my improvements, will be readily understood when the succeeding description and claims are read with reference to the drawings, accompanying and forming part of this specification. I

In said drawings:

Figure 1 is a view in perspective of my improved folding stool in a preferred embodiment thereof unfolded; 1

Figure 2 is a view in vertical transverse section partly broken away and drawn to a larger scale;

Figure 3 is a view in perspective illustrating the manner in which the stool is folded;

Figure 4 is a view in perspective illustrating the stool folded.

Referring to the drawings by numerals, my improved stool, as illustrated, comprises a plurality of rectangular seat supporting panels including a pair of opposite, intermediate, like panels I, 2 inclining upwardly in relatively flaring relation with bottom edges 3 adapted to rest on the ground or floor, and hinged together, as at 4, for folding fiat one against the other, and a pair of outer panels, 5, 6, like the panels I, 2 inclining downwardly and outwardly of the intermediate panels I, 2, respectively, in flaring relation thereto with upper edges 1, 8 hinged, as at 9, II) to the upper edges II, I2 of the intermediate panels I, 2 for folding flat against the outer sides of said intermediate panels I, 2.

A seat carrying strip I3 extends along the upper edges 1, II of said panels I, 5 over the same and the hinge 9, and is hinged to the upper edge II of the intermediate panel I, as at l4, to fold fiat against the inner side of said panel I.

A seat panel I5, like the other panels, extends from the seat carrying strip I3 over the upper edges I2, 8 of the panels 2, 6 and rests on said upper edges I2, 8 with a rear edge I6 hinged, as as H, to one edge of said strip I3 for folding of the seat panel I5 over the folded panels 2, Ii,

Bottom corner cleat blocks I8 at the front edge of the seat panel I5 hook over the upper edge 8 of the outer panel 6 and hold the intermediate Flexible tie cords I9 connect the intermediate 7 panel I to theouter: panel 5, at the sides of said panels, and adjacent the bottom edges thereof, and hold said panels, in downwardly inclining flaring relation against separative movement. Similar tie cords 20 similarly/connect the intermediate panel and the outer panel 6 for the same purpose.

To fold the described stool, it is merely necessary to swing the top panel I5 upwardly on its hinge I! to free the cleat blocks I8 from the upper edge of the outer panel 6, then, by pressure exerted against the outer panels 5, 6 swing said outer panels against the intermediate panels I, 2, thereby swinging saidpanels I,. 2 into substantially flat engagement, after which the seat panel I 5 may be swung on itshinge I! over and against the folded panel 6, all as shown in Figure 4. The stool is thus collapsed into compact, flat condition for carrying or storing and with the tie cords I9, 20 in between the intermediate panels I, 2 and the outer panels 5, 6.

As will be manifest, the panels I, 2, 5, 6, I5, and the strip I3 ma all be out, or stamped out of flat stock such as fiber board, wall board, sheet plastic, or even sheet metal, and because such material is comparatively inexpensive, the stool may be manufactured at a very low cost while, at the same time, a stool is provided which is sturdy, adapted to last a long time, and easy to carry about, or transport.

The foregoing will, it is believed, suffice to impart a clear understanding of my invention, without further explanation.

Manifestly, the invention, as described, is susceptible of modification, without departing from the inventive concept, and right is herein reserved to such modifications as fall within the scope of the appended claims.

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. A folding stool comprising a plurality of seat supporting rectangular sections of flat sheet material including a pair of opposite intermediate panels inclining upwardly in relatively flaring relation and having bottom ground engaging edges hinged together for folding of said panels into substantially flat engagement, a pair of outer panels like the intermediate panels inclining downwardly and outwardly from the intermediate panels and hinged to upper edges of the intermediate panels to fold toward the same,

a seat panel connected to the upper edge of an intermediate panel and having means thereon engaging the remote one of the outer panels to prevent said intermediate panels from swinging apart and means connecting the intermediate panels to the outer panels to prevent the same from swinging apart.

2. A folding stool comprising a plurality of seat supporting rectangular sections of flat sheet material including a pair of opposite intermediate panels inclining upwardly in relatively flaring relation and having bottom ground engaging edges hinged together for folding of said panels into substantially flat engagement, a pair of outer panels like the intermediate panels inclining downwardly and outwardly from the intermediate panels and hinged to' upper edges of the intermediate panels to fold toward the same,

a seat panel having a connection to the upper edge of an intermediate panel and having means thereon engaging" the remote one of the outer panels to prevent said intermediate panels from swinging apart and means connecting the intermediate panels to the outer panels to prevent the same from swinging apart, saidconnection includin a hinge providing for foldingof the seat panel alongside one outer panel when" theinterm'ediate and outer panels are folded.

3. A folding stool comprising a plurality of seat supporting-rectangular sections of flat sheetmaterial including a pair of opposite intermediate panels inclining upwardly in relatively flaring relation and having bottom ground engaging edges hinged together for folding of said panels into substantially fiat engagement, a pair of outer panels like the intermediate panels inclining downwardly and outwardly from the intermed'iatepanels and hinged to upper edges of the intermediate panels to fold toward the same, a seat panel, connected to the upper edge of an of outer panels like the intermediate panels indining downwardly and outwardly from the intermediate panel and hinged to upper edges of the intermediate panels to fold toward the same, a seat panel connected to the upper edge of an intermediate panel and having means thereon engaging the remote one of the outer panels to prevent said intermediate pan'elsfrom swinging apart; and means connecting the intermediate panels"- tdthe outer panels to prevent the same fromswinging apart; the means first mentioned comprising corner-blocks on the seat panel hooking over the upper edge of said one of the outer panels.

- JOHN LANG.

REFERENGES CITED The following references are of record in th file of this patent:

FOREIGN PA' ENI'S Number Country Date 400,752 France Aug. '7, 1909 ceases Germany nines. 2, 1 938 678,419 France Dec. 24:, 1924 811,027 France Jan'p 1937 

